Deal joins a growing roster of state leaders looking for new ways
to weed out unworthy candidates for government assistance. Nearly half the
country's already pushing some sort of drug test legislation, and
Florida was the first to pass the law in July. As a result,
the state's welfare enrollment tanked to pre-recession
levels.

A Florida judge blocked the law last year after the
American Civil Liberties Union challenged it on grounds that it
violates the Fourth amendment. Now it's only a matter
of time before Georgia faces the same scrutiny as it's
neighbor.

Atlanta-based Southern Center for Human Rights told the AJC it's
ready to roll with its own suit as soon as the state officially
begins the tests.

"We are disappointed the governor signed the bill, given an
almost identical law in Florida has been declared
unconstitutional," said Gerry Weber, an SCHR attorney.

"I don't know many drug addicts that freely admit they're drug
addicts so this is going to get them on the radar screen so we
can get them the help that they deserve," Harden said. "They're
receiving the hard earned tax payer dollars of the people of this
state, that alone puts them into that qualification to be drug
tested."